Sonoma County Registrar of Voters seeking public feedback on updated Election Administration Plan

En español »

The Sonoma County Registrar of Voters Office announced today that it is taking public comment through June 21 on its updated draft Election Administration Plan. The draft is available online in English and Spanish by going to socovotes.com and clicking on the View New Draft Election Administration Plan link.

The Election Administration Plan outlines how Sonoma County intends to conduct elections over the next four years under the Voter’s Choice Act election model. Several weeks ago, the Registrar of Voters Office posted its updated plan online and held four public meetings to educate voters about changes and begin receiving input.

Comments may be submitted by calling (707) 565-6800 (Toll-Free: [800] 750-VOTE [8683]; TDD: [800] 565-6888]), emailing rov-info@sonoma-county.org, or by visiting the Registrar of Voters Office in person at 435 Fiscal Drive in Santa Rosa. The Registrar of Voters Office is open regular business hours (8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, excluding holidays).

After the public comment period ends on June 21, the Registrar of Voters Office will review any comments, revise the Election Administration Plan as appropriate, and post a revised version online. The Registrar of Voters Office will also hold a final public meeting, the date and time of which will be announced in the coming weeks.

Background

California law requires counties conducting elections under the Voter’s Choice Act election model – which Sonoma County implemented last year – to periodically review and update their Election Administration Plans.

The Voter’s Choice Act election model is a more streamlined method of conducting elections that expands voters’ options for when, where and how they may cast their ballots. Some of the key characteristics that distinguish it from prior election models are as follows:

• In-person voting takes place at vote centers, not traditional polling places. Some of the benefits of the former over the latter include:
  • Vote centers are open multiple days, not just on Election Day (except in smaller special elections).
  • A registered voter can obtain the correct ballot at any vote center in the county; they are not assigned to one specific location.
  • Vote centers feature a slew of additional voter services, some of which were previously only available at the main Registrar of Voters These services include conditional, or same-day voter registration, address changes, language assistance, and accessible ballot marking devices for voters with disabilities or anybody else who wishes to use them.
• Additional official ballot drop boxes throughout the county.

### 
Contact Information:
Wendy Hudson
Chief Deputy Registrar of Voters 
Wendy.Hudson@sonoma-county.org 
(707) 565-6800